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New York Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Dillon Brooks will give the rebuilding Suns toughness, energy — and perhaps an edge
PHOENIX — The technical fouls. The trash-talking. The scuffling. The obvious question to those who have coached Dillon Brooks deals with all that. As in, have you ever asked him to tone it down? David McClure coached Brooks for four seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies. Asked this, he brought up working in the video room earlier in his career with the San Antonio Spurs. One night, he was among those invited to dinner with then-coach Gregg Popovich. The Spurs in those years were methodical and structured. Everyone except Manu Ginobili. He was a little more 'chaotic,' McClure said, recalling the dinner. Advertisement Pop said that night: 'I have to kind of let Manu be Manu. I have to give him a little bit more leeway than the rest of the players because a muzzled Manu isn't special.' Keith Smart coached Brooks during his rookie season in Memphis, long before Brooks had established himself. Still, the edge and toughness were there. Smart kept up with Brooks through the years, watching his games and texting him observations and reminders. Asked if he's ever told Brooks to chill, Smart brought up something former Georgetown coach John Thompson once told him. 'Keith,' Thompson said, 'you can always calm down a fool, but you can never raise a dead man.' Translation: 'You can always tell a player to calm down some,' Smart said, 'but when you have to constantly tell a player — Come on, man. Play hard. Compete — you're going to run out of time.' Entering his ninth season, Brooks is among the headliners of the Phoenix Suns' summer reboot, acquired with athletic guard Jalen Green and others in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Rockets for superstar Kevin Durant. Phoenix's intent was to get bigger, younger and more athletic. But the Suns also wanted to get tougher, especially on defense. Those who have worked with Brooks insist few are better. This may take time. Not for Brooks, but for Phoenix fans. Throughout their history, the Suns have had elite scorers, gifted passers and decent defenders. They have not had many irritators, guys who lived to get inside an opponent's head. Dennis Awtrey (1970s), Maurice Lucas (1980s) and Danny Ainge (1990s) all could annoy or intimidate, but not at this level. Over the last three regular seasons, Brooks, 29, has earned a league-high 49 technical fouls. Last season he was T'd up for barking at officials, sticking up for teammates, taunting, pushing, flopping and hanging on the rim. In March, he was ejected in Phoenix after a dust-up with Durant. In a first-round playoff matchup against Golden State, he beefed with Jimmy Butler and was accused of targeting Stephen Curry's sore thumb. Advertisement At a brief media session during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Brooks described his style as 'no bull—,' adding he doesn't back down from anybody or any situation. He said he couldn't wait for Suns fans to cheer next season after his first technical foul, which shows the power of a uniform change. As The Boston Globe wrote in 1986, 'villainy is in the eye of the beholder.' 'It's not a bad reputation to have,' said former NBA guard Nick Van Exel, who coached Brooks in Memphis, where Brooks spent his first six seasons before spending the last two in Houston. 'A lot of guys go through their whole career and nobody knows anything about them. You know Dillon Brooks because of his tenacity on defense. You know when he's on the court. He has a presence.' DILLON BROOKS AND KEVIN DURANT GET INTO IT 🍿 Dillon Brooks was ejected 👀 — HOOPS HIGHLIGHTS 🎥 (@_HoopsNation) March 31, 2025 The Athletic talked with seven NBA coaches who have worked with Brooks. What amazed many is that Brooks — who has earned just one All-Defense nod (second team in 2023) — isn't more respected as a defender, especially because of his versatility. McClure recalled a short Memphis stretch during which the 6-foot-6 Brooks defended then-Washington wing Bradley Beal, Portland guard Damian Lillard and New Orleans forward Zion Williamson. Memphis had others who matched up better against the bulldozer-like Williamson, but Brooks told the coaching staff: 'I want him.' During Blake Ahearn's four years in Memphis, the most common question he got from outsiders dealt with Ja Morant, the rising superstar. The second: What's Dillon Brooks like? Ahearn recalled his first season as an assistant coach. It was the 2020-21 season, and Memphis was locked in a Play-In Tournament battle with Golden State. The winner secured the Western Conference's eighth seed, the loser was eliminated. At one point in the contest, then-Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins subbed out Brooks for a quick breather. Ahearn had done the scout for Golden State, and he was nervous. He knew how quickly Curry could catch fire. He needed Brooks on the floor. 'Are you ready?' Ahearn asked him on the bench. 'Dude, just give me like one minute and I'm good,' Brooks said, according to Ahearn. Ahearn let 30 seconds pass. 'Are you …' Brooks didn't wait for the entire question. He got up and walked to the scorer's table. Brooks played 45 minutes that night. Memphis won in overtime. Advertisement 'If you're giving a scout, you could ask Dillon about the best player,' Ahearn said. 'You could also ask him about the 13th player — Dillon will be able to give you a full scouting report on everybody. His attention to detail and how he prepares in order to guard guys is special. … I just respect the heck out of him that night-in and night-out he wants that matchup, and he's not going to back down from it.' Former Memphis assistant Brad Jones said Brooks is outstanding on the ball, but what separates him is focus. Luka Doncic could score on him on four consecutive possessions, and on the fifth, Brooks would be just as determined as the first. While some coaches might panic and make defensive changes, the Memphis staff knew it could stick with its coverage because Brooks eventually would figure it out. 'One of the best things I think you can say about him is he plays 82 games and he comes out every night like it's the last game he's going to play,' Jones said. Brooks brought the same commitment and energy to practice. Memphis often scheduled practice at 11:30 a.m. and had time slots available so players could get treatment or hit the weight room. Usually, the rookies and younger players took the earlier times to let the vets come in later. Brooks, however, grabbed the early slots so he could get in more work. There were outbursts. Former Memphis assistant Scoonie Penn recalled Brooks delivering a hard foul during a lackadaisical practice. Words were exchanged. Brooks yelled at video staffers who were officiating — and practice changed. 'What he did was, he raised the level of competition,' Penn said. 'He got angry … but at the same time it lifted everybody up. Because, obviously, it's a long season. You have times when it's up and down. It might be dead. You need that extra. Dillon brings that extra.' Adam Mazarei was around Brooks for only his first two seasons in Memphis, but he said not much has changed. From the start, Brooks was an NBA second-round draft pick who carried himself like a lottery pick. Ultra-competitive. Uber-confident. Put in the work. Trust his game. And look where it's gotten him. 'Phoenix is getting a dude,' Mazarei said. 'His toughness, his edge, his confidence. He's a guy you want on your team, no question about it.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"He just uses small phrases when it comes to playing" - Danny Green explains Kawhi Leonard's unique and funny way of talking trash during practices
"He just uses small phrases when it comes to playing" - Danny Green explains Kawhi Leonard's unique and funny way of talking trash during practices originally appeared on Basketball Network. Kawhi Leonard isn't always the talkative type on the court. He's laser-focused, always locked in. But that doesn't mean he's eerily quiet, especially during practices. Beneath that stone-faced exterior, a competitor still has his own understated way of letting opponents know when they are slipping. It may be the kind of talk that fills a gym or turns heads. It's quieter, weirder and in true Leonard fashion, impossible to predict. Kawhi's subtle trash-talking Danny Green spent seven seasons with Leonard across two teams, the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors. He has had a closer view of the enigmatic superstar than most, including his unique communication style. He noted how the two-time Finals MVP never really adopted the conventional method of trash-talking, even in the hypercompetitive practice sessions. "He just uses small phrases when it comes to playing," Green said. "He doesn't do that anymore, I could see when he was younger, to say small. But he doesn't talk trash to anybody." Green and Leonard's time in San Antonio coincided with a franchise that demanded discipline and subtlety. Tim Duncan rarely yelled. Manu Ginobili led by action. Tony Parker was precise, not boisterous. And under Gregg Popovich, the culture was less about flash and more about efficiency. So in that setting, Leonard's cryptic, low-volume style of trash talk fit perfectly. In those Spurs days, Leonard wasn't yet the full-blown superstar he would later become. Still, the defensive menace and work ethic were unmistakable. He was already earning All-Defensive honors and proving that he didn't need to be vocal to dominate. Practices were intense, particularly with veterans around. But instead of shouting out loud or barking orders, Leonard would deliver his "trash talk" in dry, deadpan phrases. Sometimes it was just a muttered word, but it was enough. To outsiders, it might not have registered. But to teammates like Green, who were around him day in and day out, the meaning was loud and clear — even if the volume wasn' focused When both Green and Leonard landed in Toronto in 2018, the latter had evolved into one of the league's most dominant two-way players. He had already earned a Finals MVP in 2014, won two Defensive Player of the Year awards and added more polish to his offensive game. But one thing that remained consistent — his talking stayed minimal, especially during games. "When you're playing with him and he's talking a little trash, he don't do that in a game," Green said. "He's so focused on himself and playing his game. He's not gonna tell you [that] you need to talk trash." Leonard's time in Toronto was a masterclass in silent dominance. In the 2018–19 playoff run, he averaged 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, packed with clutch shots and steely focus, but never with flashy words. His Game 7 buzzer-beater against the Philadelphia 76ers became one of the most hallowed moments in NBA history and still, Leonard barely reacted beyond a squat and a rare roar. That same year, Green started all 80 regular-season games and was one of the Raptors' best perimeter defenders, often paired with Leonard on the wing. But even then, Kawhi didn't need to hype anyone up with words. His intensity was infectious. His defense was surgical. He let his game do the yelling. After that championship, they both left Toronto in 2019, with Leonard to the Los Angeles Clippers and Green to the Los Angeles Lakers. But the bond built over years of battles in practice had been set. Green would go on to win another title with the Lakers, while Leonard continues to try to become only the second player ever (LeBron James) to win a title and Finals MVP for three story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla a top ten coach in the NBA?
Is Boston Celtics head coach a top ten coach in the NBA? With legends like San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich retiring from that role and a number of highly regarded head coaches like Tom Thibodeau (last with the New York Knicks) and Taylor Jenkins (formerly with the Memphis Grizzlies) now looking for another such post in the NBA, there are fewer coaches on the level or at least in the same stratosphere as Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. So where would we put Mazzulla among his peers at the helm of NBA teams for the coming 2025-26 regular season? With a title to his name, he very clearly does not belong in the lower third of the league's coaches, and one would struggle to make a case for him lower than the midpoint of the league's coaches at No. 15 overall. But is he at least four slots higher in most estimations? The folks behind the "98.5 The Sports Hub" YouTube channel put together a clip from their "Felger and Mazz" show to talk it over. Check it out below! This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Is Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla a top ten coach in the NBA?
USA Today
21-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Is Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla a top ten coach in the NBA?
Is Boston Celtics head coach a top ten coach in the NBA? With legends like San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich retiring from that role and a number of highly regarded head coaches like Tom Thibodeau (last with the New York Knicks) and Taylor Jenkins (formerly with the Memphis Grizzlies) now looking for another such post in the NBA, there are fewer coaches on the level or at least in the same stratosphere as Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. So where would we put Mazzulla among his peers at the helm of NBA teams for the coming 2025-26 regular season? With a title to his name, he very clearly does not belong in the lower third of the league's coaches, and one would struggle to make a case for him lower than the midpoint of the league's coaches at No. 15 overall. But is he at least four slots higher in most estimations? The folks behind the "98.5 The Sports Hub" YouTube channel put together a clip from their "Felger and Mazz" show to talk it over. Check it out below!
New York Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Victor Wembanyama cleared to return to Spurs after blood clot: Reports
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama said he is 'officially cleared to return' from the deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder that cut his 2024-25 season short, he told French newspaper L'Équipe. Wembanyama, 21, said San Antonio's medical staff told him Friday he had the green light to return to basketball, which would mark just over five months since the team discovered the blood clot upon his return from All-Star weekend. The finding stunted his sophomore season at 46 games and curtailed a historically rare season; he was the first player to record averages of 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.8 blocks and 3.1 3-pointers made per game before the injury. Advertisement Team sources were unwilling to confirm, but news of his return was also reported by ESPN. San Antonio went 21-25 in the games Wembanyama played and 13-23 in its games without him last season. The team landed the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft lottery and selected guard Dylan Harper, who is expected to join reigning rookies of the year Stephon Castle and Wembanyama to give the Spurs a young trio that could compete in the playoffs. Wembanyama has had a full offseason despite the injury, including a trip to the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, China, to train with monks for two weeks. The Spurs have also had a transformative offseason, as longtime legendary coach Gregg Popovich stepped down in May to move to a front-office role after he suffered a stroke in November that forced him away from the sidelines. Wembanyama and multiple other NBA stars have dealt with blood clots in recent seasons. Then-Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard was temporarily shut down in March after doctors found a DVT in his calf, the Detroit Pistons' Ausar Thompson missed time from March to November 2024 with a blood clot, and Miami Heat star Chris Bosh was forced to retire in 2016 due to the recurrence of a clot, which constituted a career-ending illness. The Spurs center told L'Equipe he is 'right on schedule' with the recovery plan and that the DVT is 'officially behind me.' He said he has not played five-on-five action for five months and has to ramp up his training to be game-ready. The 21-year-old will not suit up for the French national team when EuroBasket 2025 starts on Aug. 27, joining Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier as roster exclusions due to health and recovery reasons. Team France will be highlighted by the top two picks from last year's draft, Atlanta Hawks wing Zaccharie Risacher and Washington Wizards big Alex Sarr, as well as Wizards wing Bilal Coulibaly and New York Knicks big Guerschon Yabusele. Wembanayama will likely still be in the ramp-up phase of his recovery program when the tournament begins, so his priority will be preparing for the grind of a full NBA season as an emerging superstar. Advertisement His minutes per game increased from 29.7 as a rookie to 33.2 as a sophomore last season, with another increase possibly on the way. He will likely take on even more offensive responsibility as his skill set improves, meaning his offseason training program will be crucial to setting the stage for a sustainably healthy and productive season. The Spurs' offense will further evolve this year now that former All-Star point guard De'Aaron Fox will take the reins at the point from Chris Paul, who often had the Spurs playing a slower pace in the half-court. Wembanayama plans to be ready for a full return by the start of training camp in late September, his first alongside Fox. The pair only played five games together after the Spurs acquired Fox at the trade deadline. San Antonio finished 34-48 after Wembanyama was ruled out, but showed early signs of promise with a 17-16 run heading into the new year. With Castle entering his second season, Harper coming to town and former Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet providing center depth to help manage Wembanyama's load throughout the season, San Antonio has a chance to take another big step forward this season.
